(Cleveland) - The Ohio Supreme Court has ordered Cleveland City Council Clerk Pat Britt to accept petitions to put the Q renovation funding deal on the ballot, but it appears city leaders may not do that until next year.
Councilman Zack Reed and other lawmakers want the Q deal on the November 7th ballot, contending that holding a special election next year would be too expensive.
Costing Cleveland taxpayers $750,000. Reed feels that's money that could be better spent on a variety of needs.
He accuses city leaders of stalling, to keep the issue off the ballot as long as possible. Reed says the Clerk of Council never had the authority to block the issue from appearing on the ballot after organizers had collected enough petition signatures, forcing them to take the matter to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Councilman Jeff Johnson is joining the call for the Q-deal to be placed on the ballot in November, and not during a special election next year.
Speaking on the steps of City Hall, Johnson accused Mayor Frank Jackson, Council President Kevin Kelley, and business leaders of stonewalling a vote on the $88 million dollar Quicken Loans Arena restoration package, out of fear city residents would vote it down.
Johnson contends, the administration of trying to place the issue on the ballot at a time when voter turnout is expected to be low.
(Photos by Ken Robinson/WTAM)
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